Empty Memories
by Marse Speaks
Summary: It is an ordinary day, but he knows that there is something wrong.


**Disclaimer:** I'll never own Gakuen Alice.

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(For the _AoGA House Cup_)

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It was a fine day. It was a day when there were no clouds near the scorching sun; it could make one go lazy because he wouldn't want to move because of the high temperature. Many students of the Alice Academy could be seen fanning themselves using different kinds of papers or things just to be able to lessen the heat they were feeling. Some had been using their Alices to make it rain above them, call at least a breeze in the place where they were, or make something move to fan them, just to name a few.

There was nothing out of ordinary.

And yet, Ruka Nogi was not a bit convinced. He was so sure that something was odd. Something was _missing_. He could not quite put his fingers on it, however. It had been a month since the Alice War had ended. Natsume Hyuuga, his fire caster best friend, was already fully healed. After all that happened, he could now be seen more often with Mikan Sakura. There was no doubt that the bonds between the two of them became tighter after the storm that had been brought to them.

Ah, yes. There it was again; he already anticipated it coming. He felt his heart clench again when he thought of Mikan Sakura. No, it was not because of her and Natsume. It was something else. Yes, he thought. After some musings weeks before, he realized where the missing thing used to be in. It had to be something really close to Mikan. But still, he could not think of anything that the brunette could lose.

One time, he thought that maybe he was right – that something had gone – because he noticed Mikan was staring into empty space and seemed very bothered. He asked her what her problem was and her reply was, _"I forgot something… uhh… something in my room"_, with a somewhat forced chuckle after. He suspected that it was just a lie, but he let it slipped. He regretted not inquiring any more than that after a couple of days, though.

Another time, Ruka found himself staring into an empty seat in their classroom. He even checked it with Yuu if there was really no one occupying the seat. He thought that it was odd for it to be empty when he had that nagging feeling that there really was someone there before.

He tried racking his brain for information, memories, anything, as long as it could appease his troubled spirits, but it was all in vain. He thought of keeping his mind off of the matter, but it was no use.

There was one instance when he was petting some animals in the barn when he instantly covered his face at the tiny sound of a branch being stepped on. It turned out to be Piyo. He found it weird because it almost seemed like an instinct of him to do such a thing. He also did that when Sumire and his fans were following him.

He did not know why he was being on guard on such occasions. Strangely enough, he could even hear some clicks of cameras on his head during those situations. There were also times when he sees silhouettes of a short haired girl by the distance on his peripheral vision. He would catch some glimpses of a short, silky, jet black hair on random places, too!

He was nearly on the brink of considering himself mad when he was convinced that something had disappeared. He realized that it was not only something that he strongly felt to be near Mikan; it was also something near to him, to his heart. It was something important to him.

That something had gone and left a huge part on him. And even what was left of it was gone.

He truly wished that he could dismiss them as empty memories only. He wished that those recollections of his were just products of his wild imagination. He could not do that, though. Even when he could not remember that something - or someone! - he still chose to do his best to hold on to those he could remember, at least to those which caused his bizarre reflex actions. He was determined to preserve those "memories", for his lack of a better term for them. A lot of questions that were flooding his mind made him itch so badly for answers, but he thought that there were really things better left unknown. No matter how he longed for them, he thought that knowing the answers may actually hurt not only him, but also the others, and he would not want that, especially not now that everything was in order.

Now, Ruka could only wish that he would see fine days like this just as he used to be before, even when he couldn't remember how it was all before the unforgettable Alice War.

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**Author's Note:** I wrote this because I'm still hoping for RukaRu to happen. Thank you for reading this!


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